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From the bangs to the hairstyle, there's no doubt about it, curtain hairstyles for men are trending again. A classic in its own right, curtain hair is back with its casual, long-hair-don't-care attitude. The style honors the '90s cut worn by nearly every major leading man but has gotten a few updates to keep it fresh. So how can you rock the resurgence? We asked three hair experts to weigh in on what to consider when wearing curtains hair, and how to style the look. Keep reading for their tips.
Meet the Experts
- Andrea Jaclyn is the co-founder of BOMANE in Los Angeles.
- Sal Misseri is the owner of Reverie Salon in Chicago.
- Andrea Hans is a New York-based stylist and the owner of Broome Street Society.
Flipped Out
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Han Myung-Gu / Contributor / Getty Images
With some hair types, their waves only shine through once it reaches a certain length, and flipping out may be a part of the grow-out process. But those curves and flips can give you a signature look that's all your own. Embrace it.
Shaggy Curtains
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Frazer Harrison / Staff / Getty Images
Getting that extra-long, perfectly weighted curtain length could take some time. “Embrace the grow out!" says Jaclyn of this overgrown cut. "Keep your hair parted down the middle to begin training it into the curtain style.”
Braided
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Travis Scott proves that hair can be styled two ways and still look classic—here, the curtain style gets an upgrade, thanks to the addition of braids.
Low-Maintenance
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When you're a K-pop superstar like BTS's J-Hope, your busy schedule may not permit a high-maintenance hairstyle. "The curtain style has that ‘undone’ vibe and has more range in lengths," says Misseri of this low-maintenance style. "One can easily go eight to 12 weeks between cuts, depending on how fast their hair grows.”
Short and Tight
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Even if your hair is on the shorter side, you can let some of it fall forward to emulate that curtain-style flair. "Men’s curtain styles come in many lengths," says Jaclyn. "Start playing with it and let it do its thing."
Rinse and Go
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Longer strands have the potential to feel drier because the scalp's natural oils have to make their way further to the ends of your hair. “So shampooing daily isn't always necessary," says Hans. Regardless of your daily perspiration, Hans suggests simply rinsing instead of shampooing. "You can restyle (with less product) and not over dry or over wash your hair."
Curls Galore
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The great part about curtain-styled cuts is that any length and texture can wear it well. To lock your curls into a curtain style, Jaclyn suggests adding a bit of curl cream to enhance the texture. We like Davines Love Curl Cream.
Interior Shaping
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Curly hair looks great in a curtain style, but it still requires some special attention to uphold its texture and shape. "Personally, I think the curly version is cool," says Hans, "but it could feel like a lot to someone who isn't used to all of the volume on top." Her advice: "Make sure to schedule your cut with a stylist who knows how to create interior shape. This will make daily styling easier for you."
Subtle Moves
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Frazer Harrison / Staff / Getty Images
If your hair is struggling to get into that perfectly face-framed curtain position you're hoping for, comb your strands forward while wet and place some no-crease clips like Mr. Smith Non-Marking Clips to help the hair hold its new placement. Use your hands to scrunch in some Davines This is a Texturizing Serum throughout as it air dries for subtle, natural-looking movement. You'll be sporting curtain-perfect hair like BTS member SUGA in no time.
Volume on Top
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When your parents are David and Victoria Beckham, we can only imagine you'd have some seriously fashionable influence over your life (hairstyles included). We love the way Brooklyn wears his wavy curtain cut cropped up high with an effortless and unofficial parting draped across the forehead.
Extra Movement
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Look to Timothée Chalamet for all your wavy hair needs. Adding extra movement, or keeping movement intact, is a small feat to face. "Simply apply product to towel-dried hair and use a wide-tooth comb or your fingers to distribute the product evenly," says Misseri. Try Kevin Murphy Motion Lotion to encourage your curls.
Mussed-Up Texture
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If you're looking to add a little texture to your style, Jaclyn suggests using Davines This Is a Forming Pomade. It will give your waves the perfect hold and that perfectly mussed-up effect.
Loc Drape
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Iann Dior proves our point with this loc curtain-style drape: no matter what your length, hair type, or texture, a curtain look always looks cool.
Lock It In
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When you have curly hair like Jack Harlow, you know that locking in moisture is key to achieving the perfect style. To do so, Hans suggests, "Use an anti-humidity leave-in product on towel-dried hair before you leave your house for the day, such as Davines OI All in One Milk."
Blended Shape
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Growing out your hair isn't a hands-off process. It still takes some regular maintenance and a few touch-ups to give it a little help on its way out. While it's much less maintenance than a shorter cut, Hans says, "It's still important to do regular neck trims or clean-ups. After about two clean-up appointments, you'll probably need a whole haircut to re-create the allover shape.”
The One-Sided Curtain
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Zayn Malik proves that even if you have a stubborn, or preferred, side parting, you can still rock that curtain-heavy look by letting that long length up top fall forward to frame your face.
Long Locs
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Lenny Kravitz's signature long locs frame his face effortlessly. Similar to short locs, this style is always a cool look.
K-Pop Craze
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We're not saying that having a curtains hairstyle is a requirement to be in a boy band, but based on the look remaining in fashion, all signs point to it being true. Nearly every member of the biggest K-pop boy bands are sporting this look fashionably, like Lucas from Super M seen here.
Invisible Parting
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When your hair is always waved and curled to perfection, not even a major gust of wind can show much of a parting glimpse. When Noah Centineo's hair has length, it falls into more of a face-framing curtain, but sometimes that natural parting is hard to see through his thick, texture-full strands.
Angled
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Without a natural center part, your hair may take some training. Hans suggests using a tail comb to adjust the part while your hair is still wet. And if you suffer from fine or flat strands? "Add a texturizing dust to the roots once your hair is dry, and use your fingers to work in at your scalp and create that natural-looking lift."
Byrdie Tip
Combing your hair into your desired part while it's still wet will help train it to naturally fall into that new placement.
Wavy Length
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Tom Holland is a hair chameleon and this longer, wavy style is proof he should grow his hair out more often. His curtain bangs are pushed back, which shows just how versatile they are.
Overdirected
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Maybe you have a natural middle part like Adam Driver but prefer to wear your long, lengthy curtain style off to one side. The over-directed strands do add some major volume.
Highlights
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We're thrilled to know that highlighted tips haven't made their way back into fashion again, but that's not to say we aren't fans of some sun-kissed strands. When worn on a curtain-style haircut, it looks especially effortless. The natural waves don't hurt either.
Weightless Waves
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Longer lengths can sometimes weigh down a curtain-worn cut if it isn't cared for properly. When it comes to conditioning, Jaclyn advises, "Use a lightweight conditioner like Davines DEDE Conditioner to ensure your hair will not be weighed down and lose volume."
Modern Boy Band
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Pictured, Joe Jonas throws it back to his boyband past with the signature wavy, curtains 'do. His style is a bit shorter and more laid-back here which is the perfect modern rendition.
Tucked
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Some curtains need tie-backs, and some curtain hairstyles need a good tuck behind the ears. Not everyone likes hair in their face, we get it. To keep your length from falling drab, Hans says, "Comb the front away from your face on both sides of the part, so it will create that C shape naturally as it dries.”
Shaggy and Long
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Johnny Depp has long been a fan of lengthy cuts, but the curtain style on him circa the early 2000s is one of our favorites to date.
Layered
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Misseri's style tip for straighter hair types? “Wash and blow dry," he says. "I find if you leave too much moisture in straight hair it can go from wet to greasy-looking very quick. By removing moisture, you will keep the texture and have a better-looking curtain style.”
Center-Parted
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As Dev Patel proves, longer, layered cuts can still look reigned in—thanks to a center part. Use a shine spray for further sophistication.
Matured Mane
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The curtain cut and style was a signature look for a young, early to mid-’90s Leonardo DiCaprio. Before he began slicking his hair back for every red carpet appearance, he wore a dapper young curtain cut. Here, he pushes it all to one side as he matures from his classic bowl-cut style.
Long Braids
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Pro basketball player Jordan Clarkson rocks a curtains style by way of long face-framing braids.
Heartthrob-Worthy
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If Brad Pitt, the king of all Hollywood heartthrobs, wore a perfectly fallen curtain cut for years, is there any more convincing that needs to be done about this style? We think not.
Curved Ends
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In an ode to the old Dawson's Creek theme song, we don't wanna wait for this trend to be over. Thanks to Gen-Zers, we don't see that happening anytime soon. James Van Der Beek's curtains hair takes shaped in the form of some bangs that curve in towards his face, just above his brow line.
Clean-Cut
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When to shampoo and condition is a big question when you have more hair to work with. Misseri advises washing whenever it feels heavy or oily, which of course depends greatly on your scalp health and lifestyle. "If your hair and scalp is dry, you will wash less often. For thicker, coarser hair, condition every time you shampoo. For finer hair, I would condition only every few shampoos.”
Slicked Down
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While he is sporting a much closer crop now, back in the day, David Beckham was rocking some seriously long hair. His look here shows a slicked-down curtains haircut look for a formal event.
Long and Piecey
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It's hard to imagine Keanu Reeves with any style but his long, shaggy mane. His hair comes down to his chin, but it's his shorter bang pieces that frame his face in a perfect curtain-y way.
Messy Crop
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It seems that no matter what his hairstyle is, Cillian Murphy always finds a way to showcase his killer bone structure. A far cry from his extreme undercut in Peaky Blinders, Murphy's messy crop is shorter in the back and on the sides, allowing the top of his hair to land him in the curtains haircut category.
Brushed Back
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Kit Harrington sport's curtain bangs brushed back to give instant volume at the crown. This style works just right with his naturally wavy hair.
Boy Band
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Were you even in a '90s boy band if you didn't have curtains hair? Nick Carter donned the style in the early years of the Backstreet Boys before moving on to buzzcuts, bedhead, shags, and spikes, ultimately landing on a jagged cut with shorter sides.
Easy Waves
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Aaron Taylor-Johnson's wavy strands are pushed back and worn off the face. This longer style is versatile—all he needs is to brush his wet strands forward for a modern curtains style.
Side-parted Flow
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When he's not starring on Outer Banks, Chase Stokes is busy perfecting his hair. This flowy haircut is parted off-center, and can easily be styled down the middle for a true curtains hairstyle.
Perfectly Piecey
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Conrad—err Christopher Briney—gives us Jack Dawson vibes in more than one way, but especially with how his past-his-brows dirty blonde hair falls into perfect pieces to frame his face. If strands start to get greasy from an oily forehead, a spritz of dry shampoo at the roots and brushed through will earn you at least a day or two before you have to wash.